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Starship Construction
This section is devoted to the general construction of what it takes to build the average star ship as well as whats included in some specific classifications but whats covered below unless its specifically stated to belong to a military class star ship. 'Inner Hull' The inner lining of the ship just below the inner wall and in some parts is in fact the inner wall of the star ship. Made of a thinner Tritanium Alloy similar to the thicker outer hull it is generally designed to sustain the impact of low calibre rail guns and provide internal ship design. 'Outer Hull' The outer hull not only helps to provide the outer appearance of the ship but the thick Tritanium Alloy with a thin middle layer of ceramic to help disburse energy weapons so that the armored tritanium hull can last a little longer in a fire fight. The ceramic is not thick enough to last more than 2 possibly 3 extra shots depending on the weapon or the location but it might give damage control teams and technicians to get the shields and/or force screens online. The thick armor is designed also to resist damage from both rail weapons and space debris should shields and force screens fail but over time will not resist for ever and will take a battering and concentrated fire power from rail weapons once shields are down along with a torpedo will usually crack the tritanium and ceramic armor like an egg. 'Inertial Field Generators' Traveling at sublight speeds and even FTL Jumps create massive gravity pressure or g-force. In order for personnel to be able to move around on ships not in cold storage surrounded by force screens until the ships speed drops low enough for the antigrav to over come the speed. Inertial Field Generators are also used to allow shuttles to match speeds with capital ships (or space stations) in order make landings possible without the vessel in question having to stop. This allows ships to take on supplies, passengers, or even crew members and other personnel while moving at normal sublight speeds and even just prior to jumps. Inertial Field Generators also allow for the creation of Artificial Gravity approximating Earth norm. Allowing for normal movement and prevents human tissue degeneration in a Zero-G environment. 'Data Core' In recent decades an need for centralized computer power, networking and security needs have been on the rise for Galactic Naval vessels. A rising defense contractor in Information Tech Systems and AI Tech Systems by the name of Uchiha Industries have been able to not only create a new architecture for centralizing Galactic Naval Computer systems and AI cores allowing for easily shared access across ships terminals as long as the user has the proper access but also use the architecture of existing older ships with a little patching and other modifications to bring them the more centralized format that is wanted. The centralized Data Core allows for ship space to be freed up where there would be vast compartments set aside for server rooms or AI Core equipment. This new space can be set aside for crew use to help morale or store supplies for longer trips away from port or if close enough to Fire Control Stations turned into Ammo Lockers. The Centralized Data Core (and its backup) also allows for faster file access by ship personnel and ship AI as needed and if access is available. The Data Core contains all info on the ship, its crew, the AIs attached to it, the Marine Units with it as well as a secure link back to Military Intelligence, and a separate but also relatively secure link to the Infonet, and can even be used to create links to individual to AI to increase efficiency of their given task. 'Navigational Computers (Experimental AI on Military Vessels)' In order to calculate the vast differences between start massive computer power is needed to keep track of positioning, destination points and potential transition points in the long run. Both sublight and FTL use this device to help helmsmen lay in course in destination be it for a short range transportation or even a Jump from one location to another without extensive star charting and the computer power to constantly update and refresh the data to keep vessels on target even through stellar drift due to entropy. Standard (Military and Civilian) Navcomputers take up large amounts of space and require certain dedicated hardware. 'Cyberwarfare and Counter Cyberwarfare AI (Military Craft Only)' Due to the needs of interstellar transport sophisticated computer networks, and Artificial Intelligence are required to manage the FTL drives, navigation, shields, weapons arrays, environmental support and even support droids and other robots. As a resort cyberwarfare and counter cyberwarfare attacks are common. A breach in the right spot in the right firewall can allow hackers or enemy AI access everything from weapons to life support to even the reactors. As a result military capital ships come equipped with an AI whose only function is to prevent intrusions and counter attack. This provides a lot of down time so to keep the AI engaged (and not go rogue or other issues crop up) they also tend to send copies out to support ships (especially in carrier varieties) as well as aid the ships security officer come up with security plans and cyber security options. 'Reactor Core A, B, C (Optional), D (Optional)' All ships have multiple reactor cores due to the massive power needs to transport a ship across the galaxy faster than light as well as possibly defend itself or even use force screens to repel debris that would puncture holes in the hull ship due to moving at such rapid velocities and even power the sublight engines as well as the life support, etc. The Reactor Cores are a series of Hot Fusion reactors that generates power for use by the ships systems. Due to massive power requirements for FTL flight a single Reactor Core is dedicated to the Jump Drive. The second reactor core is used to power the sublight drive, life support, navigation computer, and force screens, etc. The third reactor core is the back up and for all other systems on civilian space craft. Higher end and Military space craft have additional Reactor Cores (depending on their size as well) to reduce the load even more or to provide redundancies should a reactor fail due to combat, sabotage or other reasons. 'Force Screen A, B, C (Military Craft Only)' Force screens are also know by the term kinetic barriers. They are a series of over lapping fields designed to lessen the impact of projectile shells, as well as, help disburse some of the energy from incoming energy based weapons in hopes that it would do less damage. Force screens also keeps atmosphere from venting into the void of space in case of hull breach and also serve as a very basic for of shielding protecting ships especially from small particles of debris that would without the screen essentially riddle the ship will hull breaches causing an implosion or possible reactor overload. To keep stress on force screen generators to a minimum there are at least two on every capital ship on the market. All military grade vessels possess a third screen allowing all three to absorb more damage while drawing less energy due to placement and overlapping positions. On rare occasions the extremely wealthy can customize their ship for this feature and add the generator after market by purchasing one from Black Market sources. 'Shield Generator A, B, C (Military Standard), D (Medical Frigate Standard)' Due to the ever present dangers of the galaxy all ships civilian and military have some form of shield generators. Forward and Aft over lapping generators work in tandem with the kinetic barriers of the force screens to keep out harmful radiation as well as space debris. They are also helpful and blocking or deflecting energy weapons or incoming missiles and torpedoes depending on the grade of the shield or weapon. Also the more power the shield generator has access to the stronger a shield the generator can produce. In medical frigates whole reactor cores are devoted to the shield generators. Civilian starships usually have only 2 generators (any more tends to run expensive and requiring special permits) where as military ships have 3 generators (forward, midships and aft all overlapping) and medical frigates have 4 (forward, midship starboard, midship port, and aft again all overlapping). 'Sublight Drive A, B, C (Optional)' This is the device that allows a ship motion in normal space below light speed. Indeed military grade sublight drives are even capable of blurring that boundary by traveling at .9999 of Light speed or 99.99% the speed of light. Unfortunately the Terran Union and its members and most of its Allies are unable to figure out how to get past the mass barrier to light speed or “warp” travel. Due to the Jump Drive FTL flight though its not really needed. Sublight drives are generally used to travel within a star system or when a jump drive needs a cool down between multiple jumps or extremely long jumps. It works essentially based on using energy from one of the reactor cores (the same reactor core may also feed the secondary sublight drive and a few other subsystems) to power the ion propulsion engines which allows for forward motion or even reverse thrust if needed. Aside from that a series of thrusters allows for navigation up, down port, starboard, forward, and reverse. Most vessels include a primary and secondary drive (incase one breaks allowing for some forward motion outside of FTL flight) higher end civilian and military ships have a tertiary drive as a back up incase one or both main drives should be broken or destroyed in accident, sabotage or battle. 'Jump Drive A, B (Optional)' Jump Drives or FTL Flight Engines are what allow Terran Union space craft to faster than current sublight velocities of up to 99.99% of Light Speed (meaning it is traveling at under .01% the speed of light). Without these engines humans from Earth would take generations to reach new star systems or would have to rely on automated systems and cold sleep or stasis systems and would still take years, decades or even centuries to reach their new homes. Current Jump Drive technology allows ships with a fully functioning drive to instantaneously travel up to 100 light years with the highest end military grade drive. Said drive can also safely make multiple jumps of less than 100 light years without risking drive over load. Jumps over the 100 light year limit are NOT recommended. Jump drive operate on the principle of using a Hot Fusion Reactor Core to generate energy for the multiple particle accelerators in the jump drive which then produces tachyons a faster than light particle. A field of these particles the exact size and shape of the vessel surrounds the starship opening a localized and stable wormhole that only the ship can pass through. The intensity of the tachyon particles dictate the distance the vessel can travel. Most craft only have one jump drive they are generally easily repaired (as long as you have a trained FTL Engineer as a part of your crew) but high end ships and some of the larger military capital ships will have a second jump drive just incase the primary one is knocked out in combat or by sabotage and a quick escape is needed. Due to its own size however its not always practical to have a second drive. 'Fire Control Auto Targeting Computers (AI On Military Craft Only)' Again due to the dangers and numerous hazards of traveling space no starship is completely without weapons even if its just a single rail gun to use as a defensive screen against large space debris or to hold off hostiles while the FTL drive prepares itself for a jump for escape. However the larger the craft is the more power is required for FTL flight or even move at a decent pace with sublight engines. Larger craft also cost more and also could require more people to man the vessel and since space is at a premium on a ship computerized auto targeting was created to be a viable alternative. Smaller civilian ships that don't use turrets still have a FCAT on their auto laser cannons (rail guns still require a FC Team to reload the weapon). On military ships newer vessels again to save on space for other uses have begun using Artificial Intelligence for targeting uses. Different weapon types because of power requirements, targeting factors, ships position and the weapon's firing arc have differing AI needs. For example: 20 Heavy Auto Laser Cannons can be controlled by one Artificial Intelligence where as a single Particle Lance needs its own AI. Recently though manned pods have come back into circulation due to technology making them almost as efficient as a targeting computer power wise but with a much better firing arc although hit percentage may not be as high. Pods are used were space and man power are not an issue but cost and stress on AI are. 'Escape Pod(s)' Incase of battle and the ship goes down these are added to help as many of the crew survive as possible. Each pod is capable of seating a dozen with first aid supplies, rations (containing two weeks worth of nutrient bars not good tasting will keep one alive with the minerals and vitamins one needs and a weeks worth of water per person as well as a few tents for shelter and a few other sundry supplies needed to survive until rescue such as a distress comm beacon. The number of pods is directly proportionate to the craft and its crew compliment. For example on an Aesir Class Carrier Dreadnaught there is a crew of 9000 not including the CAG (Commander Air Group) and his “Air Wing” giving 750 escape pods. Remaining personnel from the air and combat groups are expected to depart via the shuttles, star fighters, troop ships (precursor to drop ships), etc in case they are unable to do so there are usually a few extra escape pods or the Captain's Yacht since he is not allowed to leave until everyone else has departed the ship. 'Air Lock(s)' All ships except for fighters and some small bombers have air locks (or umbilical devices that reach short distances allowing them to connect to another ship or station) which allows passengers and cargo to be transported from ship to station or ship to ship without having to don a space suit and allow for explosive decompression. The number of Air Locks on a ship or station varies proportionately to its size and need but a good rule of thumb is that should a starship crash dirtside (slang for being on the planet) personnel on all levels can pop open air locks forward and aft, starboard and port. Civilian ships are also generally equipped with multiple airlocks but not quite as many. Usually they are forward or aft on alternating decks also on port or starboard depending on maker or manufacturer. 'Hanger Bay(s)' All most all capital ships also have at least one hanger bay for taking on supplies in deep space or when the ship is unable to land on the planet and resources or personnel must be ferried up by shuttle. Cruiser type (function) ships have two usually where as battleships have more and carriers potentially more still given the nature of their use. Occasionally some capital ships will carry (in addition to “X” number of shuttles) a star fighter or a bomber, or even a SAR ship as opposed to the usual number of shuttles which is the normal compliment for that class of ship. The compliment of ships are as follows for ship functions: Scout/Research: None. This class of ship is barely classified as a capital vessel and has no hanger of its own but it does have a set of docking clamps and umbilical cables for a either a single Stormraven or Nightraven. The Research variation also has no shuttle hanger but does have docking clamps with the air locks in order for other ships, shuttles and the like to dock to replenish supplies. Destroyer: 2 Hanger Bays (several potential exterior docking sites). Frigate/Medical Frigate/Cruiser: 3 Hanger Bays these are mostly shuttles but one is also solely a SAR bay and if there is an MSG (Marine Strike Group) they tend to share the SAR bay using it for their own Armor vehicles, or marine pilots. Cruisers will sometimes keep a small wing of star fighters in one of the shuttle bays as well. This is not what they were intended for and while is not standard operating procedure it IS becoming more common. At some point a flight or Squadron might be placed on every ship like there being a MSG or a MSE (Marine Strike Group and Marine Strike Element). The Frigate and Medical APC versions of those kinds of ships have a limited Marine presence due to limited space and constant need for medical supplies or use of SAR ships for Ambulances to Medical Stations like Pluto Research Station, System's Edge Research or even the Alpha Trion V Research Hospital. The remaining Shuttle bay space is used of course used to house standard military grade shuttles for ferrying people and supplies such as food, medicine, and the like to the ship. Battleships usually have up to 4 hangers or bays. Depending on the situation at least one of them has Star fighters and a Bomber wing (meaning 2 of them). One has Marine equipment (armor vehicles and the like) drop ships that they share with SAR (Search and Rescue/Retrieval) and the remaining two are again shuttles to ferry in and out passengers when not docked to a station (Say in orbit around a new planet to explore) or to aid in taking on supplies or other needs as required. Carrier class ships (to include Dreadnaught) are different in that they have long hanger bays that open out into space. The atmosphere inside is maintained only by the Force Screens when the hanger bay doors are open. Depending on configuration there are 2 to 3 large launch bays holding up to 100 star fighters along with two squadrons of bombers (20), a squadron each of shuttles, recon vessels (surveillance and communications), and a squadron of stealth fighters. 'Starship Navigation' As a general rule the vast super computers and powerful Artificial Intelligences are used to plot navigation points. Due to the use of Jump Technology such as it exists ships must use 7 reference points in space to make a jump from one region of space to another. The first 6 reference points are coordinates in space the starship wishes to go. The 7th point is the point of origin of the craft based on the various star charts. There has been some experimentation with navigation beacons in the major sectors of space. They are broadcast via FTL comm signal on a specific set of set of frequencies (one for military and one for commercial) in order to reduce the need for computing power in order to navigate and use it for other purposes. However this is relatively new technology and relies solely on use of relatively unprotected and easily found navigation beacons. Traveling via sublight drive while in system or during cool downs navigation is handled in a completely different manner. Due to the range of a starship's scanners they are able to send out pings on both long and short range scanners in an omni-directional way to give a ship any and all information needed to navigate. Other Galactic Powers use different means depending on their method of FTL travel.